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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The National Wildlife Art Museum in Jackson is filled with dynamic paintings, among which were two, realistic, bison paintings that appear to be photographs.

"Chief"
1997
by Robert Bateman
Acrylic on Canvas

Staring down an open corridor between galleries, "Chief" (a life-size painting) commands the viewer to stop and study the detail. A plaque on the side states that Bateman spent many hours studying bison in the field. Bateman is quoted, "I was after a dynamic shift, when the life-hand side of the picture is the place where the subject originates. It's like an oncoming locomotive. The tension increases as you move from left to right. This particular guy is at Elk Island Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada."

Friday, January 27, 2012

I loved shopping in Japan, especially in Tokyo's bustling, outdoor markets where the stores were packed with interesting items. These markets were open long into the evening.

Since I served on the Overseas Education Association (OEA) board, I was fortunate to visit Tokyo several times for meetings during my two years in Japan. Trains did not travel from Misawa to Tokyo while I was in Japan, so the OEA representatives from Misawa flew stand-by on the military transports.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

PineTree Lodge Designs (Whirligigs #218) was used to make Star Gazer. The pattern offers three possible block layouts; thus, a wide variety of tops can be made from the different blocks layouts. The center section of Star Gazer required 12 assorted fat quarters.

I used the BB#1 block and the "B" layout for that block which created a "floating star." Focus on the neutral triangles to see the stretched star.

Update: May 26, 2012

Alycia posted this quilt on her blog today. It should be wrapped around a hero soon.

Friday, January 20, 2012

The first year I was in Japan, I had the honor of judging an English-speaking competition at an off-base high school. The students recited and/or read selections of literature in English. Some students were highly proficient, and others painfully struggled with the simple readings. The contest took most of the day, and the school officials were most gracious and presented each volunteer judge with a gift.

Americans were commonly approached off base by Japanese teenagers and young adults, wanting to improve their English skills.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

At a recent knitting night, Jane revealed that she had never seen the Tetons during the winter, so four of us planned a road trip to Jackson.

The forecast said a storm was approaching the State, and I secretly hoped the Tetons would not be shrouded with clouds when we got over the pass. While Saturday was a cloudy day, the Tetons were definitely visible and decked in Winter finery. Temperatures in Jackson were in the mid 30s; however, by late afternoon the wind was blowing and dropped the temperature.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Candy Hearts, a Western Region Oddball preemie blanket, started by suehling is being knit in the colors of Valentine candy hearts. I used Caron Simply Soft (Lavender Blue) and the Purled Ladder stitch for my four-inch section. Now, Candy Hearts is on its way to California.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Saturday I went to Jackson with three knitting buddies. While there, we toured the National Wildlife Art Museum and visited a yarn shop. As we headed home, a colorful, winter sunset made the Tetons even more beautiful and memorable.

Friday, January 13, 2012

This man struggled to clear the walks just outside of my BOQ. All of this snow is the aftermath of one all-night storm.

Once the walks were cleared, it was business as usual.

Nancy Stearns
Misawa AFB
Misawa, Japan
1981

My BOQ was fairly close to the school, and some days it was easier to walk than dig the car out of a snow bank.

One major difference I noticed was the snow in Japan did not squeak underfoot like that in Wyoming. This was probably because, unlike Wyoming, the temperatures were not sharp or bitter cold: the cold in Japan was damp and chilled to the bone no matter how many layers were worn.

Misawa is located on the northern edge of the main island (Honshu) of Japan. Storms consistently dropped more snow on the island to the north (Hokkaido) where the Sapporo Snow Festival was held every year. Snow sculptures can be seen on these posts.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Old Glory is a Western Region Oddball blanket. The first section was knit with a Seed stitch, and the second section is the Box stitch. The blanket is on it's way to Idaho for the next knitter to add four more inches.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Billboards were once painted on the sides of buildings all across America, and the few remaining are vanishing before our eyes. Last week, I stopped to capture some fading bits of Americana in my area.

Husdon, WY
January 2012

This is the other side of the building which is even more interesting. The left side of the photo shows a the ghostly SINCLAIR painted over the previous business' sign. At the top, I think it says, "D. J. Gaspersttn" or "D.J. Gasperstti" and then HUDSON, which is the name of the town. The campaign ad to the right is from several years ago, and I have no doubt that it will remain there until it, too, fades away.

Hudson, WY
January 2012

Across the street/highway is this building. I've lived in this area off and on nearly all of my life, and I don't remember this building renting rooms or having any residents.

Despite these remnants of the past, the small town of Hudson is well-known for two steak restaurants, Svilar's (still serving meals) and Club El Toro (now closed). Those two establishments, especially the Club El Toro, had live bands on the weekends, and it was frequently difficult to find a place to park. While Svilar's has a bar, I don't think it has live bands, but I am not sure.

Some online reviews of Svilar's are here and here. I don't have a clue why the last review is listed under Jackson Hole restaurants since Hudson is quite a distance from Jackson.

Hudson has other outdoor paintings that I which can be seen in this 2008 post.

Does your area have old, painted billboards that are vanishing or other distinct pockets of Americana (barns, silos, Victorian houses, etc.)? Make a point to capture these American icons in photographs before they disappear in the name of progress.